TOMMY Hannon and James Brookens will be chasing the hat-trick in Darwen's Borough Pairs snooker tournament as this season gets under way.

But they didn't win it last year!

Simple explanation is that the tournament was shelved last season for a variety of reasons but it's all set now.

Says organiser Ollie Taylor: "We've closed the entries as usual at 32 and the first prize will again be £250. Tommy and James have been hammered down to minus 10 on the handicap but they will probably strart favourites to make it three in a row."

Mick Burns and Nathan Bridges (Stanhill), holders of the Blackburn and Darwen small table pairs championship, will put in a determined challenge and individual champion Mark Jennings will fancy his chances as he teams up with cousin Pete. Former winners Stuart Seaton and Bob Dewhurst (Fox & Hounds) and Ian Dickinson and Dave O'Kane from the Cemetery could go close again but that Hannon-Brookens treble looks a safe bet.

All matches are on aggregate over two frames. It's an interesting set-up which always attracts a lot of intrerest,' says landlord Ray Tompkins.

Fixtures: M Burns, N Bridges (Stanhill) Scr v D Stephens, J Avery (West View) 5M Slattery, M Taylor (Guide) 5 v S Pendlebury, S Pendlebury jr (Riley's) 30D Fulton, L Waddicor (Darwen Subs) 20 v PArkwright, C Dilworth (Riley's) Scr T Hannon, J Brookens (Riley's) minus 10 v M Gibbons, S Halliwell (Cemetery) 5 R Tompkins, P Bedford (Borough) 15 v S Williams, Ammi (Cherry Tree) 5 C Steele, J Cummings (Borough) 5 v G White, I McClure (West View) 5 R Graves, S Taylor (Darwen Cathoilic) 10 v S Aspin, D Billington (Darwen Subs) 20 J Darby, B Goulding (Darwen Catholic ) Scr v P Jennings, M Jennings (Borough) 5 J Costello, J Moran (Borough) 20 v R Pemberton, C Pemberton (Borough) 25 K Harrison, B Harrison (Borough) 40 v A J Taylor, C Taylor (Borough) 10 I Dickinson, D O'Kane (Cemetery) 5 v D Haworth, J Johnson (ICI) 5 A Billington , B Gaul (Borough) 40 v M McHugh, A Ward (Highfield) 15 S Hill, J Roebuck (Hoddlesden) 5 v S Riley, N Balshaw (Borough) 20 M McHugh, C Green (Cherry Tree) 5 v S Seaton, R Dewhurst (Fox) 5 J Winkley, D Eastham (Hoddlesden) 10 v P Whipp, S Eastham (Hoddlesden) 5 A F Taylor, S Pattinson (Darwen Catholic) 15 v S Harrop, S Woodcock (Hoddlesden) 10.